Sonoma County Jane Doe was a female found in a ravine in 1979. The location was a dumping ground for an unidentified serial killer. She is the only unidentified victim.
Case
The victim's remains were found in a ravine off Calistoga Road, a hundred yards where the body of Lori Lee Kursa was discovered seven years earlier. She had been bound and unclothed. The exact cause of death could not be determined, although the circumstances strongly indicated homicide.
Between 1972 and 1973, at least seven girls and young women hitchhiking around Santa Rosa or Sonoma County were murdered. They were all found nude and dumped in rural areas near ravines or creek beds. Several suspects, including the Zodiac Killer, Arthur Leigh Allen, and Ted Bundy have been considered, but no one has been charged as the serial killer.
Lisa Smith and Jeannette Kamahele are also considered potential victims of the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Killer. The latter was excluded via dental comparison.
Characteristics
- Brown or auburn hair.
- Previously broken rib that had healed before death.
- Arm fractured around time of death.
Accessories
- Hard contact lens inside a metal candy tin with cherries on it.
Sources
- Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders on Wikipedia
- Sonoma County Jane Doe at the Doe Network
- Santa Rosa Jane Doe at NamUs